(( @DM: Which one was nearer the direction of the way down that Kess found? ))

"Hold a moment," whispers Lore as he focuses his mind, explains what's going to happen to Kess  then unsummons her before re-summoning her just the other side of the door nearest their objective and instructing her to remain invisible and try to hide while they both look around.

Kess stealth: 17

Kess Perception: 12
Lore Perception (Through Kess): 19

Cat whispers " Ok, what are you doing lore? Seeing if they're' someone one the other side?"    Meanwhile she does what any good rogue would do look for traps. perception: 7 

Lore is crouched down and shows no sign of hearing Cat. She has seen this before, when Lore's senses are linked to Kess.

Piers being behind assist Cat by checking for traps also. He knows isn't his expertise but a bit of help never hurts (help action) 'I don't believe he can hear you!he must be linked with his familiar 'whispers at Cat 

"Oh, yeah." Cat says quietly, as she nervously looks around the grounds "Great place for this," As she looks a little harder at the door. 

15 perception with help. 

( the nearest is the first door, to the west.)

kess nods, and once she appears on the other side, she looks around "no one here! this is a kitchen, and. . . hmm! something tasty is cooking! but no one's here. but i think i hear something? . . .i'm not sure, seems like thuds and bonks"

No traps, also, Cat.

"Stay invisible, and find a rafter or some safe place to watch and hide...I'll let the others know."

Opening his eyes again, Lore says to the others, "It's the way to go. Kitchen, some noise -- thuds, maybe -- but noone there for now."

He looks nervously around, "We're exposed here, we should go in. Say we are new recruits if any of the kitchen staff asks?"

Before opening the door, Lore will checkin with Kess to make sure the room is clear.

"it is still clear, yes.  no one inside." she answers to lore.

as you unlock the wooden door, The smell of a long simmering stew draws you in as you get closer. the place is stocked with cookware and utensils. A large fireplace is used for cooking meals. no sign of anyone nearby.

Cat's stomach growls, whispering "Smells good." she looks around "That's a good plan Lore. I suggest you convince them of it, if it comes to that  she looks at the two doors  "Ask Kess, which way to go?"

She listens Perception 17 trying to figure which way the sound is coming from and if there's something at the opposite door.

kess moves to the bottom door, pointing at it "it's over here!" she says, pointing at the door. she notices that the sound os coming deeper in the house. . . in the upper levels, it seems. opening the next door, you find yourselves in the pantry. This pantry serves as a servants' entrance as well as the primary larder. The room is lined with shelves containing dry foodstuffs, spices, folded tablecloths, and jars of preserves. Casks of fresh water, ale, and wine are also stored here. A back door leads out to the Saerdoun street. This sturdy wooden door is barred shut on the inside.

however, the thing that gets the group's attention are two corpses on the ground: an old male human, and a young male halfling. there is blood on the floor, with the puddle still expanding, suggesting that whoever killed them did it recently "uhh . . . they weren't dead the first time. . ."

"Amnyone recognize them?" Lore asks, staring mostly at Kess. Before moving on he examines the bodies with Kess' help, trying to determine who/what they were: staff, guards, normal citizens, while also taking anything of interest for future examination.

Investigation: 7 (passive 12)

When he is done he nods, ready to move on. "Which way?" he asks Kess.

(( @DM: We are looking for the way down, but I did not see it in the description? ))

"Umm, crap" Cat whispers with surprise. "Least, we have a way to get out of here now. But, if we're seen, we might get the blame. Can someone, help me see how they died?" She looks at how they were killed. Medicine 8/ 14 with help. Then she looks at the pantry to see if there is anyway she can disguise the party, just in case. like non-bloody aprons and maids uniforms, butler things.

"I think we best be moving."

Piers assist Cat with checking the bodies.He thinks "The horses saw people with no armor but weapons,also they were whispering..Now there are two dead bodies..If they are a security why not wearing armour and why whispering?.i start  to believe those might have been robbers and those  fellows just victims"

Cat shakes her head no "Guys, I think they may be assassins about, we may be too late to save the guy. You know the one armed guy's minions?" unless Lore stops her and gets Kess to look she goes to the next door and peeks out it."

(( I'm waiting on DM because I'm confused: this was supposed to be the way down, and the only other door leads to the street. Did i miss something? ))

(I think the DM forgot to reveal where we're at on the map since we're still in the kitchen.)

Drux will help Cat determine how they died. “We better make this quick. Someone is ahead of us. We better get the move on.”

Perception 12 

( here. . .for some reason the image didn't load and i just noticed it today, sorry )

the dead citizens seems to be the cook staff, simple servants.

@cat you notice that they died froma possible stab from behind. typical work of assassins or rogues. they didn't had a chance to fight back. also you unfortunately does not seem to find any clothes to disguise yourselves. as Cat peeks trough the door, you find the great hall.

The cornerstone of any grand residence in Waterdeep is it's great hall. The nobility and well-to-do flex their wealth and power will elaborate meals. This great hall shows that that the Gralhunds are out to impress. A massive 25 foot dining table carved from red Larchwood dominates the room. Above it swing two iron chandeliers hung from the dark mahogany ceiling. Chairs surround the table, with a particularly tall and elaborate chair at each end. Lining the wood-paneled walls are tapestries and locked wooden cabinets that contain fine dishes, silverware, and candlesticks. A family portrait of a tall beautiful woman, her lightly shorter husband, three young children, a teen girl, and two boys with very magnificent dog hangs over a fireplace with a black marble mantelpiece.

this room seems worse than the previous one: the floor is stewn with bodies, eight guards wearing bloody and tattered House Gralhund livery over their chain shirts. the sound is more apparent now: you can hear the sound of fighthing. screams of pain, blades tearing flash, steel hitting iron. it is coming from atop the stairs. on top of the corpses stands two figures wielding bloody maces, the blood slowly dropping from both weapons. fortunately they didn't see cat. . .yet.

Cat whispers to the group "They're two guards in the hallway, I think they're murdering the Gralhunds. Lore, do you think you can get Kess to lure them into the door up north of here? On the same side as we are."

She thinks for a second "Actually, should we even get involved? We could get a reward with some deception." 

Did she notice anything else about the guards? Passive perception 14